Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has advocated for veteran fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return to the national ODI setup ahead of the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Speaking during a interactive session on ESPNCricinfo, Ashwin urged Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar to initiate communication with the 36-year-old pacer and integrate him back into domestic multi-day and 50-over competitions.
Ashwin’s World Cup Vision
During a ‘Yes, No, or Maybe’ segment mapping out India’s potential 2027 World Cup roster, Ashwin highlighted the crucial role experienced swing bowlers could play on South African surfaces:
“Where is Bhuvneshwar Kumar? He is a yes for me. I would communicate with him and get him to play all first-class tournaments, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and everything. Get him in prime shape going to South Africa – I think we’ll need him.” – Ravichandran Ashwin
Ashwin listed Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj as guaranteed selections. He placed Mohammed Shami, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the “maybe” category.
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Ashwin voted “no” for youngsters and fringe options like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and Gurnoor Brar.
Strong IPL Form vs. Selection Reality
Bhuvneshwar’s name re-entered national discourse following a stellar IPL 2026 campaign with champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The swing specialist spearheaded RCB’s attack, finishing as their highest wicket-taker with 28 wickets. Despite his franchise success and a impressive international ODI record (141 wickets in 121 matches), a national comeback presents significant hurdles:
Bhuvneshwar has not featured in international cricket since November 2022, with his last ODI appearance coming in January 2022 during India’s tour of South Africa.
Under Agarkar’s leadership, team management has preferred taller, high-pace bowlers such as Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar alongside core pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
